Fulani herdsmen have called on the Delta State government to set up commission of inquiry to investigate the activities of their associations in the state.
The call, the Nigerian Tribune learnt, was with a view to stamping out middlemen working across -the-board between them and the government, in order to bring about lasting peace in host communities and identify bad eggs among members of the associations.
The call was made by the Organising Secretary of Miyetti Allah Katau Hore, Alhaji Lawal Iman, one of the associations in the state and coordinator of the group in the South-South/South-East of the country, at a stakeholders meeting in Asaba, at the weekend.
The other two associations are Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and Gan Allah Fulani Development Association.
The meeting, which was mainly attended by herdsmen, was convened by the office of the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Ogbueshi Cassidy Iloba, to resolve the lingering strain in the cordial relationship between herdsmen and farmers in Ossisa community in Ndokwa East of the state.
The secretary, who noted that some members of the associations were moles, called on the state government to appoint credible aides from the Arewa community, who he said, “will truly represent us in the state.”
“Those who were there never represented our interest and it seems we don’t have a representative in government,” Alhaji Lawal Iman lamented.
In his remark,Ogbueshi Iloba debunked the allegation that the state government had asked Fulanis to leave Ndokwa East area nay the state.
The aide who said Gov. Okowa was already looking into the killings of 4 herdsmen in Ossisa, assured the people of their safety in the state.
He, however, appealed to the Fulanis not to allow their cows to graze on farms, just as he accused community leaders who allegedly collected money from herdsmen for crops destroyed by cows, though the money never got to the owners of such crops.
Chairman of Ndokwa East council, Mrs. Nkechi Chukwurah, empathised with the families of the deceased herdsmen, saying the local authority and the state government were on top of the situation to make sure peace reigns in the community.
According to her, the council had commenced town hall meetings in various communities, aimed at ensuring peacefull coexistence between the herdsmen and host communities.
Chairman of Miyetti Allah Katau Hore in the state, Alhaji Abdulsalam Mohammed, disclosed that criminals that invaded Ossisa, and killed 42 cows in March and also carted away money from herdsmen, were not indigenes of the community, adding that the Fulanis had, however, relocated to other parts of the state.
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